Lapboard



July 19 1949- L. P. NlcHoLs 2,476,620

` LAP BOARD 'Filed Feb. e, 1946 2 sheets-sheet 1 l War/76g July 19, 1949. l L, R NICHOLS 2,476,620

LAP BOARD Filed Feb. 6, .1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [zz/Jenin?? Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED 'sTATEs PATENT OFFICE LAPBOARD Lewis P. Nichols, Pittston, Pa.

Application February 6, 1946, Serial No. 645,879

10 Claims.

user to be utilized as a writing desk or book sup-v Dort.

An object of the invention is to provide a panel of metal or other suitable sheet material having its edges formed into hollow roll flanges to function as sheaths for the arms of an extension bar.

Another object of this invention is to provide a swinging rest hinged to the underside of the panel, said rest including an extension footpiece whereby various angular adjustments may be obtained for the panel in conjunction with the positioning of the extension bar.

Another object of this invention is to provide holding latches of unique construction for the extension members referred to above.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a combined hinge and springr actuated lock for the swinging rest.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means for holding books, papers and the like on the lap board panel.

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof,

in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the lap board constructed in accordance with the invention and shown in one position for resting upon a desk, table or the like, or a users lap.

Fig. 2 is an outer face view of the lap board in c-ollapsed, or retracted or folded condition.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an underneath or inner face view of the lap board in collapsed condition.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation of the combination hinge and lock.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary edge view of the lap board panel and extension bar with a portion of the roll flange broken away and shown in section to illustrate a form of latch.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the swinging extensible rest showing another form of latch.

In carrying out the invention as herein embodied I0 represents a panel of metal or other suitable material having a hollow roll flange II along the rear and the two opposite side edges, while along the forward edge is an upturned ledge or shelf I2. The portions of the roll flange along the side edges are slightly flared or tapered at the bottoms, Fig. 8, and are open at the forward ends.

The upper parts of the side portions of the roll. flange, at the open ends, have sections fashioned therefrom and bent downwardly to form latches I4 which enter angular notches I5 in the arms I6 of the extension bar I'l, which arms are slidable and movable up and down to a slight degree within said side portions of the roll iiange. The bar I'I is curved inwardly intermediate its ends to fit a persons body in thereglon of the stomach. This shape of the bar will assist in holding the lap board in place while in use and also provide restricted surface contact areas which are preferably covered by elastic buiers I8'.

When the bar I'l is protracted the arms I6 thereof will be forced downwardly by the Weight of the bar structure or the action of the latches I 4 on said arms but when the bar is resting on a support, the weight of the panel will cause the latches to enter whichever keeper notches I5 register therewith and thus prevent accidental retraction of the bar. When the bar is to be retracted, the apparatus is so manipulated that the arms I6 drop down within the side portions of the roll flange sufficiently to become disengaged from the latches which will permit the bar structure to be moved towards or to the retracted position.V

A hinge plate I9 is fixed to the underneath face of the panel, preferably adjacent the rear end of said panel, and this plate includes a pair of outwardly projecting end walls 20 in which is slidably and rotatably mounted the generally U- shaped tubular frame 2l of the swinging rest by means of its cross-piece 22. The right angle arms 23 each have a longitudinal section partially severed therefrom with its outer end bent inward to form a spring latch 24.

The swinging rest structure is normally urged in one direction by a spring 25 which may be coiled about the cross-piece 22 with one end engaging an end wall 20, as the stationary element, and the other end engaging a washer 26 or equivalent held in place on said cross-piece by a pin 21. On the cross-piece 22 adjacent the other end wall 20 is mounted a lock member 28, fixed in place by a pin 29, and having a projection or beak 3B for selective insertion in any one of a number of apertures 3| formed in the arcof a circle, Fig. 7, in said other end wall 20.

The balance of the swinging rest comprises the in line with the spring latches 24 so that when the latches enter selected ones of said notches the extension foot-piece 32 will be retained in any adjusted position. The walls of the notches 35 are inclined in both directions longitudinally of the legs 34 so that by the application of suflicient force the foot-piece may be extended or retracted but the latches will hold for all ordinary purposes.

Between the ends of the arcuate bar 33 and the adjacent legs 34 are surface contact areas which are preferably covered by elastic buffers 36.

On top of the panel I0 is slidably mounted a strip 3l by having its ends partially bent around the side portions of the roll flange Il and secured to said strip are a number of spring clips 38 which coact with the upper surfaceof the panel for holding papers and the like that may be slipped or inserted beneath said clips.

In actual practice the structure of the extension bar ll may be retracted and the extension rest structure swung underneath of the panel to 45 provide a compact parcel for storage or transportation. For use as a table or the like between two supporting points, such as the knees of persons facing one another, the rest structure 32 may be moved to one side, against the action of the spring 25 and then rotated to a position directly opposite to that shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and when released, the spring will cause the beak of the lock 28 to enter one of the apertures 3| and hold the rest structure in the newly adjusted position. In lieu thereof, the extension bar structure may be protracted, or both the extension bar and the rest structure may be utilized and the latter be extended if necessary.

When the lap board is to be used as a book rest or holder for sheets of paper and the like, the extension bar structure maybe adjusted to any position, either completely retracted, entirely extended or to some intermediate location and then the extendable rest structure may be adjusted angularly and for length as suggested in Fig. 1. When the parts are properly adjusted for the best results to the user, the lap board may be placed on a table, desk or other support, or on the users lap with the curved portion of the ex- V70 tension bar l1 resting against the users body and the arcuate bar 33 resting upon the legs above the knees. In this position a book or papers may be placed upon the panel so as to engage the sheets of paper may be held by the spring clips 38.

Many other uses and advantages will become apparent to a person making use of this lap board and it is to be understood the particular methods of employing the device enumerated herein are in no way limitative but merely illustrative.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and useful is:

1. A lap board comprising a panel, a hollow roll flange along the outer and both side edges of said panel, the side portions of said flange being flared on the underneath sides towards the open ends, latches formed from the upper sides of said side portions of the roll flange at the open ends, an extension bar including an arcuate cross-piece and arms, said arms being slidably mounted in the side portions of the roll flange i and having angular notches to receive the latches, and an extensible rest rotatably mounted on the underneath surface of the panel.

2. The lap board of claim 1, in combination with a strip extending across the upper face of the panel and slidably mounted on the side portions of the roll flange, and spring clips carried by said strip and projecting therefrom.

3. The lap board of claim 1, in combination with locking means connected to the panel crosspiece of the extensible rest to hold the extensible rest in any one of a number of angular positions.

4. A lap board comprising a panel, an extension bar slidably mounted at the sides of said panel, means to hold said extension bar in various adjusted positions, a hinge plate iixed to the underneath surface of the panel and having outturned end walls, one of which has a series of apertures arranged in an arc, a tubular generally U-shaped frame member of a swinging rest rotatably and slidably mounted in the end walls of the hinge plate, a lock member fixed to the frame member and having a beak for selective registration with the apertures, a spring to urge the frame member in that direction which will cause the beak of the lock member to enter an aperture, spring latches fashioned from partially severed sections of the ends of the frame member, a foot-piece having Vlegs slidably mounted in the frame member, said legs having notches with which the spring latches selectively register.

5. The lap board of claim 4, in combination with elastic buiers on the extension bar and the foot-piece of the rest.

.6. The lap board of claim 4, in combination with means adjustable on the panel for holding articles thereon under resilient pressure.

7. A lap board comprising a panel, an extension bar mounted for sliding adjustment on the panel, and an extensible rest mounted for swinging movement on the underneath face of said panel whereby it may be folded against said underneath face of the panel and swung to a position projecting beyond an edge of the panel.

8. The lap board of claim 'l wherein the extension bar has a curved portion to engage a portion of a users body and the extension rest has an arcuate portion to engage the users legs.

9. The lap board of claim 7, in combination with lock means to hold the rest in any adjusted position.

10. In a lap board, a panel, a hollow roll ange `ledge or shelf I2, and other articles, such as at both sides of said panel and each flange having a forward open end, said flanges being flared towards their open ends on the underneath sides, latches formed from the upper sides of said anges at the open ends, and an extension bar including a cross-piece and arms, said arms being slidably mounted in said flanges and capable of a limited lateral movement and having angular notches to receive the latches.

LEWIS P. NICHOLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Trefethen Aug. 22, 1871 Blonigen June 29, 1926 Leatherman Oct. 22, 1929 Camden et a1 Nov. 3, 1931 McGinty Dec. 26, 1931 Neats et a1 May 5, 1936 Johnson Feb. 6, 1940 Hawk June 10, 1941 

